Image processing for 3D reconstruction using a modified fourier transform profilometry method

Abstract

An image processing algorithm based on the Fourier Transform Profilometry (FTP) method for 3D reconstruction purposes is presented. This method uses a global and local analysis for the phase unwrapping stage and obtains better results than using a simple unwrapping algorithm in the normal FTP method. A sinusoidal fringe pattern of known spatial frequency is firstly projected on a reference frame and an image is acquired. Then, the object of the shape to know is placed in front of the reference frame, and the same fringe pattern is projected. Once again another image is acquired. The projected pattern is distorted according to the shape of the object. Later, the modified Fourier Transform Profilometry method is applied to the acquired images. The digitized images contains the (x,y) pixels of the object including the fringe pattern, and the phase difference between the acquired images contains the z (height or depth) information. The novelty in the proposed method comes in the part of the unwrapping algorithm at the moment of obtaining the depth information by using the above mentioned combined analysis. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.